{"id":4790,"date":"2025-09-09T14:20:47","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/09\/09\/pap-we-are-not-owing-novena-or-any-other-institution-tuition-fees-otuaro-reveals-says-theres-no-record-of-5000-itsekiri-students-under-pap-scholarship-scheme\/"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:20:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:20:47","slug":"pap-we-are-not-owing-novena-or-any-other-institution-tuition-fees-otuaro-reveals-says-theres-no-record-of-5000-itsekiri-students-under-pap-scholarship-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/09\/09\/pap-we-are-not-owing-novena-or-any-other-institution-tuition-fees-otuaro-reveals-says-theres-no-record-of-5000-itsekiri-students-under-pap-scholarship-scheme\/","title":{"rendered":"PAP: \u201cWe Are Not Owing Novena Or Any Other Institution Tuition Fees\u201d Otuaro Reveals, Says There\u2019s No Record Of 5000 Itsekiri Students Under PAP Scholarship Scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Uche Alvin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has said that it is not owing school fees of 5000 students of Itsekiri extraction in Novena University, Ogume, Delta State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PAP in a statement on Tuesday stated that the agency is not owing fees in Novena or any institution within or outside the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agency was reacting to claims by the so-called Office of the Sole Representative of His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri to NNPLC, that the Amnesty Programme is “indebted” to Novena University concerning “all Itsekiri students” who graduated from the institution purportedly under the programme’s scholarship scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The monarch’s agent, Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, made a curious claim in a statement that the alleged liability made the Olu’s palace to announce an intervention to settle the “outstanding tuition and clearance fees” of all the affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But PAP said that there were no records in Novena University and the Amnesty Office concerning award of scholarship to the 5000 Itsekiri students of the institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PAP explained in the statement that the report of an inquiry into the issue by previous heads of the agency revealed that the 5000 Itsekiri indigenes were sent to the management of Novena university by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 without the involvement of the agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It added that it was not conceivable for the PAP to take responsibility for the students who were not deployed by the agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement reads, \u201cThe management of PAP wishes to state unequivocally that it is not owing Novena university any tuition fees on account of the said Itsekiri graduates and any claim to the contrary is totally false, baseless, and represents an attempt to stand truth on its head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPAP wishes to say also that it is not owing tuition fees in any institution within or outside the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo set the records straight, it is necessary to inform the public that the affected Itsekiri graduates were a subject of a formal investigation launched by a previous PAP leadership into allegations of scholarship admission racketeering under the programme’s formal education at Novena. Three other partnering universities were also investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe report of the inquiry showed that the affected Itsekiri graduates constituted a list of 5000 Itsekiri indigenes that was sent to the management of Novena university by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 purporting them to be PAP scholarship beneficiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe investigation revealed that the list in question did not emanate from the PAP, and did not also have any authorization or approval of the Amnesty Programme office. Therefore, the affected Itsekiri indigenes could not have been deemed to be beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAdditionally, the inquiry also revealed that there was no correspondence between the PAP and Novena university indicating that the PAP approved the purported list of 5000 Itsekiri students to be deployed to the institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe investigative committee, during its work, met with the INYC president and the secretary, as well as principal officers of Novena university led by its Vice-Chancellor who could not produce any documentation between the PAP and the institution on the affected Itsekiri graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the end of the exercise, the PAP duly informed the management of Novena university that the Amnesty Programme office would not bear any liability for the affected students. Doing so would have amounted to encouraging sharp practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTherefore, the PAP could not have accepted responsibility and obligation where it had none. The affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena university that the Olu’s palace is intervening for, were never beneficiaries of the amnesty programme’s scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll the PAP administrations that preceded the current one headed by the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, had seen the official report of the investigation and they respected the incontrovertible truth so established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThankfully, Dr Otuaro has expanded the PAP scholarship scheme in order to create more access to higher education for ex-agitators and beneficiaries, and aggressively bridge the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis noble reforms and initiatives to ensure that the PAP renders efficient service to the people of the Niger Delta have been applauded in official quarters, as well as by all well-meaning individuals and organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDr Otuaro remains unwaveringly committed to deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate, especially through his policy of inclusivity, to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for the Niger Delta.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signed:
Mr Igoniko Oduma
Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme.
09\/09\/2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Uche Alvin The Presidential Amnesty Programme has said that it is not owing school…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[1434,1435],"class_list":["post-4790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime","category-education","tag-pap-we-are-not-owing-novena-or-any-other-institution-tuition-fees-otuaro-reveals","tag-says-theres-no-record-of-5000-itsekiri-students-under-pap-scholarship-scheme"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4789,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/09\/08\/pap-former-itsekiri-national-youths-president-esimaje-awani-tackles-alleged-deployment-of-5000-itsekiri-students-to-novena-university-under-pap-scholarship-says-students-were-defrauded-by-racketee\/","url_meta":{"origin":4790,"position":0},"title":"PAP: Former Itsekiri National Youths President, Esimaje Awani Tackles Alleged Deployment Of 5,000 Itsekiri Students To Novena University Under PAP Scholarship, Says Students Were Defrauded By Racketeers","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"September 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Esther David Former President of Itsekiri National Youth Council, Barr. Esimaje Vincent Awani, says the deployment of 5,000 students to Novena University in Ogume, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, was conducted fraudulently, \" deviating from the operational template of the PAP ( Presidential Amnesty Programme) Office.\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_2497-2-1.jpg?fit=881%2C593&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_2497-2-1.jpg?fit=881%2C593&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_2497-2-1.jpg?fit=881%2C593&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_2497-2-1.jpg?fit=881%2C593&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4605,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/just-in-ijaw-rights-group-blasts-itsekiris-over-attacks-on-amnesty-boss-dennis-otuaro-says-benefits-enjoyed-by-itsekiris-in-the-amnesty-programme-is-a-privilege-not-right\/","url_meta":{"origin":4790,"position":1},"title":"JUST IN: Ijaw Rights Group Blasts Itsekiris Over Attacks On Amnesty Boss, Dennis Otuaro, Says Benefits Enjoyed By Itsekiris In The Amnesty Programme Is A Privilege Not Right","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"August 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Freeborn Abraye Says no Itsekiri PAP scholarship students abandoned \u2022Insists no true ex-agitator in Itsekiri, slots enjoyed are political A leading Niger Delta group, the Ijaw People's Development Initiative, IPDI has strongly condemned the baseless, mischievous, barbaric, and misleading call to sack the administrator of the presidential Amnesty programme,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1760-1.jpg?fit=960%2C723&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1760-1.jpg?fit=960%2C723&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1760-1.jpg?fit=960%2C723&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1760-1.jpg?fit=960%2C723&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5035,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/11\/15\/just-in-otuaros-led-pap-storms-delta-bayelsa-universities-distributes-laptops-to-amnesty-scholarship-beneficiaries\/","url_meta":{"origin":4790,"position":2},"title":"JUST IN: Otuaro\u2019s Led PAP Storms Delta, Bayelsa Universities, Distributes Laptops To Amnesty Scholarship Beneficiaries","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"November 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Ebiowei Gabriel As the Education for Empowerment (E4E) Mandate Campaign of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, continues the distribution of laptops to students under the Presidential Amnesty Programme Scholarship Scheme, the team has successfully covered the following schools in Delta and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_4934.jpg?fit=389%2C246&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4632,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/13\/just-in-foremost-ijaw-youth-organization-dismisses-allegations-made-against-amnesty-boss-dennis-otuaro-by-itsekiri-youths-council-says-itsekiris-never-took-part-in-niger-delta-struggle\/","url_meta":{"origin":4790,"position":3},"title":"JUST IN: Foremost Ijaw Youth Organization Dismisses Allegations Made Against Amnesty Boss, Dennis Otuaro By Itsekiri Youths Council, Says Itsekiris Never Took Part In Niger Delta Struggle","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"August 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin The Ijaw Youths Network (IYN) has dismissed allegations by an Itsekiri group accusing the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, of unfair treatment towards Itsekiri ex-agitators. In a statement signed on Tuesday by its National President, Frank Ebikabo, and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4633,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/13\/just-in-foremost-ijaw-youth-organization-dismisses-allegations-made-against-amnesty-boss-dennis-otuaro-by-itsekiri-youths-council-says-itsekiris-never-took-part-in-niger-delta-struggle-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":4790,"position":4},"title":"JUST IN: Foremost Ijaw Youth Organization Dismisses Allegations Made Against Amnesty Boss, Dennis Otuaro By Itsekiri Youths Council, Says Itsekiris Never Took Part In Niger Delta Struggle","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"August 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin The Ijaw Youths Network (IYN) has dismissed allegations by an Itsekiri group accusing the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, of unfair treatment towards Itsekiri ex-agitators. In a statement signed on Tuesday by its National President, Frank Ebikabo, and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1732-2-1.jpg?fit=1080%2C719&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4628,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/13\/ichc-warns-against-misrepresentation-of-presidential-amnesty-programme-asks-olu-of-itsekiri-to-submit-arms-to-delta-state-govt-if-he-is-interested-in-amnesty-reaffirms-support-for-dennis-otuaro\/","url_meta":{"origin":4790,"position":5},"title":"ICHC Warns Against Misrepresentation Of Presidential Amnesty Programme, Asks Olu Of Itsekiri To Submit Arms To Delta State Govt If He Is Interested In Amnesty, Reaffirms Support For Dennis Otuaro","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"August 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin The Izon Cultural Heritage Centre (ICHC) has observed, with deep concern, recent comments and tendencies emanating from the palace of the Olu of Itsekiri through one Dr. Mese who claims to be a representative of the Olu in the Amnesty programme, his unguided utterances seeks to misrepresent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1865-2-1.jpg?fit=732%2C627&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1865-2-1.jpg?fit=732%2C627&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1865-2-1.jpg?fit=732%2C627&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1865-2-1.jpg?fit=732%2C627&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfDfBE-1fg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4790"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4790\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}